Geoffrey Bruce Mullins v Peoplebank Australia Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 457

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Geoffrey Bruce Mullins v Peoplebank Australia Pty Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 457 PARTIES : Geoffrey Bruce Mullins v Peoplebank Australia Pty Ltd FILE NUMBER: IRC 2274 of 2003 CORAM: Haylen J Industrial Relations Act, 1996 - s 108A - whether retrospective in operation -whether dismissed employee had an accrued right to bring an application under s 106 - applicant dismissed before amendment operative but files application after amendment operative - s 108A held not to be retrospective in operation - applicant had no accrued right to pursue s 106 application - application for relief needed to be filed in order accrue a right - s 108A applied to application filed - consideration of the notion of a "right" in arbitral proceedings.

CATCHWORDS : Statutory Interpretation - s 108A Industrial Relations Act - whether retrospective in operation - whether application under s 106 gives rise to a "right accrued" for purposes of Interpretation Act

LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 s 108A s 108A(1)s 108B Interpretation Act 1987 s 30 Attorney-Geneneral (Q'ld) v Australian Industrial Relations Commission (2002) 76 ALJR 1502 Bowker v Software Engineers Australia and ors. [2003] NSWIRComm 213 Boyce v Hughes (1970) 72 SR (NSW) 54 at 57 British Broken Hill Proprietary Co Ltd v Simmons (1921) 30 CLR 102 at 111 per Higgins J Esber v The Commonwealth (1992) 174 CLR 430 CASES CITED : Kennedy v Contract Transport Solutions [2003[ NSWIRComm 158 Mathieson v Burton (1970-71) 124 CLR 1 Maxwell v Murphy (1957) 96 CLR 261 Minister for Youth and Community Services v Health and Reseach Employees' Assocatiion of Australia, NSW Branch and ors (1987) 10 NSWLR 543 Powell v Farleigh Estate Sugar Co. Ltd (1919) 27 CLR 219 at 227